Luke 15:13-14 - "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. 14 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished." NASU
The Bible text is a parable that Jesus is telling. The younger son's bad decision is to leave the protection and security that he has with his father. Jesus is telling all humans if you leave the protection of your heavenly Father, this is a bad decision. If you go out into the world and take on the devil and his cohorts you will get your butt kicked. So he goes out from the father's house and the next thing we see is he has "squandered his estate with loose living." In other words the world took everything he had and when he had nothing more to take, they were through with him. I can only speak for myself, but I would love to have the money back I squandered on loose living in my past. I can remember thinking my father was holding me back from going into the world and making my fortune. I left Ohio and headed to Florida where I was going to strike it rich. I came back homefour years later busted, and my ego was deflated.
"So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 "And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. 17 "But whenhe came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 18'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."' 20 "So he got up and came to his father. What can be done when you have made a bad decision? First, he got a job. He took anything he could get. It wasn't a glorious job. It was anything but glorious. It was simply a job feeding pigs. Second, as he was working he was devising a plan to better himself. He wanted out of his dilemma. He wasn't looking for any freebies. The text says, "But when he came to his senses…." I think this is the real key to what he did. He had a change of ATTITUDE. When we first see him he is greedy and believes he is missing out on what the world has to offer. He wants his inheritance and he wants to be free. He wanted to hit the road. He saw living with his dad as very boring. This all sounds very familiar to me. It has been said, "Where your heart is your feet will follow." His heart was in another country and that is where he went. When he came to his senses he changed his attitude. The best decision we can make is to keep our attitude in check. Don't be greedy and don't think you are missing out on what the world has to offer. Third, he owned his mistake or bad decision. He decided to get up and go to his father and tell him he made a mistake. If you make a mistake own it. I'm sure it won't be your first nor will it be your last. Just own it.
When you make a bad decision the one thing you want to do is maintain a positive attitude. I didn't say you had to be happy about your losses or bad decision, but stay positive and find your way back to the Father. Think On This: The biggest fool of all is the one who refuses to profit from his mistakes. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend.
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Job 2:9 - Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!" NASU
"Curse God and die!" You have got to be kidding me! I seriously don't believe you could give anyone worse advice. If you find yourself enduring some type of trials never say or do what Job's wife suggested. Cursing God or taking His name in vain is just not smart.
After Job suffers through these early trials the Bible tells us what he did. In Job 1:20 -"Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped." NASU When we are going through life's trials do they lead us to worship? Or are we be more inclined to follow the advice of Mrs. Job and curse God and give up on our faith? Job's trials led him to worship God. My suggestion to you if you're enduring trials right now is allow them to lead you to worship God.
And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD." 22 Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God. NASU Is it any wonder God said, "Job was a man of integrity." I remember hearing that scripture before I ever became a Christian. We came out naked and we were going to die that way. This saying of Job's is one of those classic scriptures that is quoted by a lot of people who may never have even read the Bible.
He was a man of integrity. His belief system was wired this way: If I receive good things from God that is okay and if I receive bad things in this life that is okay also for God is still God.
The best way to become a person of integrity is to allow God's Word to direct your steps. Think On These: People seldom improve when they have no model but themselves. Each person has the chance to improve himself, but some just don't believe in taking chances. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page or Forwarding to a friend. To Read Other Pump Ups You Can Go To My Website. www.SeragosPumpUps.com Matt. 27:3-4 - Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." NASU
And he owns up to his mistake the text says, "…he felt remorse and returned the 30 pieces of silver…saying, 'I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.' " Judas owned his mistake. He confessed that he had sinned by betraying Jesus the One who was innocent.
You must identify your mistake or your sin. Judas said, "he had sinned by betraying innocent blood." The Greek word for "sin" is "harmatano" and it means to "miss the mark." Judas had missed the mark as we all have done. He identifies what sinned he has committed and that is an example for us. When you have sinned or made a mistake name it or own it. The mark that he missed was being "loyal" to the One who was innocent. What "mark" have you missed? Does everything have to be your way? Have you allowed your arrogance to rule your life? Have you missed the mark of being honest, being faithful, or being loving? Are you the kind that will not listen to anyone because you are always right? Judas would not listen to the lessons that Jesus had been teaching and because he would not listen he betrayed innocent blood.
Notice what Solomon says in Prov. 1:5 - "A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel…" NASU A wise man will HEAR. In other words he will "LISTEN". If you will hear or listen to others you may find that you don't make as many mistakes in life.
James 5:16 - Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. NASU Who should you confess your sins to? First, and foremost is the person you sinned against if that is possible. Then I would recommend one of your close friends. One who will help keep you accountable and keep something like this from happening again to you. Think On These: There is more hope for a confessed sinner than a conceited saint. Few things in life are more difficult for some people than admitting a mistake. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page or Forwarding to a friend. To Read Other Pump Ups You Can Go To My Website. www.SeragosPumpUps.com Gen. 16:11-12 - The angel of the LORD said to her further, "Behold, you are with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction. 12 "He will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone's hand will be against him;…" NASU
(Now I am not saying men should never listen to their wives. But I will say this, "Men, if your wife ever tells you to go and have sex with another woman don't do it.") God told Abe and Sarai, they were going to have a son (Their names would later be changed to Sarah and Abraham). Sarai and Abram were both old when they were given the promise by God. It is going to take 25 years for the promise to come true. He didn't say when the promise would be fulfilled. He simply said they would have a son. They must have thought He meant immediately and when it didn't happen immediately Sarai decided to formalize a plan of her own. Sarai decides she can help God by replacing His plan with one of her own. So she tells Abram to have a sexual relationship with her handmaiden, Hagar, and then she will raise the child as her own. This may have been accepted culturally but it surely wasn't going to work when it was in direct opposition to God's plan. I can't imagine anything going wrong with that plan, can you?
America's 911 was caused by the descendants of Ishmael. Last week the headlines read: More Than 130 Children Killed by Pakistan Taliban in School in Peshawar. Everyday there are new headlines about Ishmael and his descendants being a "wild donkey" or a "wild ass" (as one version translated this text) and fighting against everyone. They have bombed England, France, Pakistan, USA and the list goes on and on as this prophecy is fulfilled day after day. His hand is against every man and every man's hand is against him.
When God makes a promise believe it and don't put a time limit on it. If you think that God should act within a certain time frame does that make it so? God made Abram and Sarai a promise and 25 years later He fulfilled his promise. Sarai and Abe waited 11 years and when they were not the parents of this promised child they took matters into their own hands. Then after another 14 years or a total of 25 years God fulfilled His promise. If I can give you any encouragement today let it be this: God Always Fulfills His Promises and below are some I hope will encourage you. Ps 9:8-10 - And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity. 9 The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble; NASU Ps 34:15 - The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. NASU Ps 34:19 - Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. NASU Think on These: When God allows a burden to be put upon you, He will give you the strength to carry it. There is one thing for which you should be thankful - only you and God have all the facts about you. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word |
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